A or An?

You say Erb but you say Herbivore.

Now that is stupid.

'Erbivore.

Most grammar and exceptions within grammar take place on the basis of what sounds right. What sounds right with usergroup is "a". "An" just does not fit in the picture too well. Also, you can tell you must use "a', because the base word of user is use and with use, one would say something such as:

"It didn't have a use."

And you never hear anyone saying "an use". So I am quite sure you are correct with your usage.

I suppose there is an exception, like, " That was a one-man show." I guess some rules are meant to be broken. No one said the English language was perfect!

SolisCookies wrote:I suppose there is an exception, like, " That was a one-man show." I guess some rules are meant to be broken. No one said the English language was perfect!

Actually, it wouldn't be the English language without an odd and unreasonable exception for every rule applied to it.

hekategirl wrote:I say Erb but I don't say Erbivore...I say Herbivore.

Ditto. But that's what we call a "homeschooler mistake" around my house, born of the fact that I read the word "Herbivore" more often then I say it and therefore pronounce it as it's spelled.

The only reason English is so freaky and has lots of exceptions is because it's a whole bunch of languages stuck together in a blender, along with the languages' respective rules, then liquified to make a shake of confusing goodness.

Don't you just love English?

Colonel, phobia, though, tough, aardvark, herbs, dreamt, etc.

And snuck!

Colonel is from France. That's why it's weird. *shudders* French spellings give me nightmares...

If you're working it out, figure out how it sounds first.

So, the word LED (electronics). You wouldn't say "a LED" because it sounds silly, you'd say "an LED." Now, the rule might seem to go against it, but think of how you would spell "LED" from the way it sounds. ELL-EE-DEE: it starts with an 'E' vowel sound.

I suppose there is an exception, like, " That was a one-man show." I guess some rules are meant to be broken. No one said the English language was perfect!

Works here too: think of how the word "one" is spelt if you sound it out: "WUN" Again, it's the *sound* that matters, rather than the actual word.

As for herbs and 'erbs: well, Americans do some strange things anyway I can't quite figure any clever reason for that one...

Well, we might pronounce it like 'erb, but consider this little funny English expression: "Chop off is 'ead"

It is slang-like, very loosely used. When people came over to America and herbs were gathered frequently, it could easily have had some shorthand applied to it, which was adopted by the populace.

I don't get it either. I always thought it should be "herbs" not 'erbs. Still, the silent H is killer.

Is it grammatically correct to pronounce the "h" in herb?

That's not grammar. It's a little linguistics thing. ^^

Herb with an h is a name. Herb without an h is a special plant.

Pronouncing the "h", also known as aspiration, works in both senses. Here in the UK, anyway.

An historical, an historic, a history. I don't get why, but my tongue won't let me say it the other way.

Wow. I actually know this one.

To have the 'an' be grammatically correct, the word has to not only begin with a vowel, but begin with the sound of a vowel. 'Usergroup' is pronounced 'yoosergroop' (pardon the funny spelling), and therefore begins with the consonant 'y' sound. The 'yoo or ya or yee sound. That's why 'umbrella' has 'an' before it, but 'unicorn' has 'a'. They both begin with the letter 'u', but they don't both begin with the vowel sound.

Same thing with 'one'. It sound like 'won', so therefore has the 'w' sound and not the 'o' sound. You just have to figure out what sound it starts with.

Or, 'an heir to the throne' instead of 'a historical reference'. Both have 'h'.

So, yeah. Sorry about the rant. But usergroup should have 'an' before it.